Wire pulling device



Sept. 24, 1963 c; E. wAL'roN WIRE PULLING DEVICE Filed A pril 25, 1962 INVENTOR. CECIL E. WA LTON ATTY. @XA/@,561- AGENT.

United States Patent O Filed Apr. 25, 19t-i2, Ser. No. 190,136 12 Claims. (Cl. 22a-193) This invention generally relates to a wire pulling device and more particularly to a wire pulling device capable of operating at high tensions and speeds without damage to the outer surface of the wire or its covering.

Certain applications require the pulling of a wire from a drum, dispenser, extrusion die, or other source of wire supply at speeds up to approximately 35-40 feet per second and at tensions of approximately 100 lbs. or greater. In the past, considerable difficulty has been encountered at these speeds and tensions in the handling of wire material having an insulation coating of nylon, polyethylene, or the like, Since these materials are generally characterized by a very smooth surface which gives rise to very low friction coetiicients. lf the wire pulling devices for handling such materials utilize hard rollers, such, for example, as steel, and it is necessary to provide a pull of approximately 100 lbs. or greater, it has been found necessary to increase the spring tension on the rollers to such an extent that the wire or material is flattened, a result which in many cases is undesirable. If soft rollers, such as rubber, are used, a groove is rapidly worn therein which results in failure of the device to provide an adequate pulling tension. While a multiplicity of such rollers may be utilized thereby reducing the pressure while maintaining the desired pull, the system requires some type of rotational synchronization of all rollers.

It is therefore desirable to provide a wire pulling device utilizing a single wheel which will maintain the desired tension at the desired speeds without damage to the wire to be pulled. This invention fulfills these desired results.

To accomplish these results, the invention described herein broadly contemplates the use of a large diameter wheel havin7 a serpentine or sine wave groove running concentric with the axis of rotation and undulating sideways or parallel to the rotational axis thereof. ln order to insure that the Wire being pulled follows the undulating groove, a second wheel or pressure plete having a plurality of projections or peaks is supported at an angle to the wheel having the undulating groove therein and mates with it in such a manner that the peaks of the pressure plate extend through slots in the pulling wheel to press the wire into the serpentine groove. The plate is arranged at such an angle with respect to the pulling wheel that as the wire progresses through the groove it is pressed deeper into the adjacent valleys in the groove to gradually increase the coefficient of friction therebetween and is subsequently gradually released before the wire leaves the pulling wheel. As the wire leaves the pulling wheel, there is provided a pair of rollers having a light pressure therebetween and driven at a rate slightly greater than that of the pulling wheel thereby insuring that the wire remains in the bottom of the undulating groove and insures pressure by the peaks of the pressure plate. These rollers further act as a guide to insure that the wire leaves the pulling wheel after the pressure peaks have relaxed their pressure.

lt is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wire pulling wheel capable of operation at relatively high tensions and high speeds.

Another object is to provide a wire pulling device capable of exerting a relatively high pull on a wire having a very smooth surface and a low friction coefficient without damage to the Wire.

llld Patented Sept. 24, 1963 ice A further object is to provide a means associated with a wire pulling device having an undulating groove therein for insuring that the Wire is pressed within the groove to derive maximum efficiency from the groove without damage to the wire surface.

Still another object is to provide a wire pulling device which utilizes an undulating groove and a means for insuring that the wire is pressed into the groove which is adjustable to accept wires of different diameter.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a wire pulling system capable of operating at relatively high tensions and high speeds without damage to the outer surface of a wire having a relatively smooth surface and low coefficient of friction.

A further object is to provide a wire pulling system utilizing a pulley having an undulating groove therein and a plurality of means for maintaining the wire to be pulled within the undulating groove.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an end vieW of a Wire pulling device and the associated pressure plate embodying the instant invention;

FlG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FlG. l;

FIG. 3 is a partial section of the pulling wheel taken along line 3 3 of FlG. 4; and

FIG. 4 is a diagnarnmatic View of a wire pulling system embodying the present invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a wire pulling wheel or pulley 5 secured to drive shaft 6 which is driven in such a manner as to move wire 7 in the direction indicated by the arrow. Pressure plate 8, mounted to cooperate with the pulley 5 in a manner hereinafter to be described, is secured to shaft 9, carried within the main bearing blocks 11 and 12.

Pulley 5 has a dat bottomed, substantially V-shaped groove lf3 about its circumference, groove 13 being bounded by a pair of opposite annular lateral faces y14 and 16 and by the 'annular bottom face 17. Surface 14 is cut to form a plurality of alternately arranged projecting and receding lface portions 1.8` and 19, these face portions forming a serpentine or sinuous face running concentric with and perpendicular to the axis of rotation of pulley S which undulates from side to side as the pulley rotates. Within surface 16 and extending to the outer sur-face of pulley 5 opposite each of the receding face portions in surface 14 is an aperture or slot |21 adapted to receive one of the projections or peaks 22 carried by pressure plate y8. lProjections 22 on pressure plate 8 project through the apertures 21 in the pulley 5 and the pulley and the pressure plate are llocked together by pin 23 ail'lxed .to pulley 5 projecting into the aperture or slot 24 in pressure plate 8 as best illustrated in IFIG. 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the axis-of rotation of pressure plate 8 is at a slight angle to the rotational axis of pulley 5` such that, as the Wheels rotate together, peaks 22 project further into the receding face portions `19 opposite thereto to a maximum depth and then recede therefrom. As wire 7 is introduced into the system, it is gradually pressed into the sinuous wave formed by the alternately arranged projecting and receding face portions as the projections or peaks 22 go deeper into adjacent receding face por-tions to gradually increase the pressure of each Contact point holding the wire and is subsequently released after maximum pressure has occurred. 1n this manner, the pressure on the wire gradually increases, no rubbing -action occurs and, therefore, no damage results to the wire or its covering.

Referring now ,to FIG. 3, there is illustrated in greater detail and in partial section the pulley wheel and pressure plate S when projection 2,2 is at its point of maximum penetration into the receding face portion 19'. As illustrated, the contact -face 26 of projection 22 is normal to the axis of rotation of plate 8 and therefore, since the receding face portion 19 is normal to the axis of rotation of pulley 5, the face portion 26 of projection 2.2 is at a slight angle to the receding face portion 19. Thus, projection 22' not only presses wire '7 into the receding face portion 19` as the pulley rotates but further serves to trap wire 7 within the groove.

Referring again to FIG. 1 there is also illustrated secured to shaft 9 a wire thickness adjusting nut 27 threadedly secured to shaft 9 which xes the maximum distance that peaks 22 project into the receding face portions t9 of pulley S, thereby allowing pressure plate 8 to be adjusted relative to the pulley 5 to accept wires of various diameters. Also threadably secured to the shaft 9 is a pressure adjusting nut 28, the position of which may be utilized to vary the pressure exerted by spring 29 bearing against floating thrust bearing 31, the tension of spring 29 governing the pressure exerted by the projections 22 on pressure plate 8 on the wire 7. `Floating thrust bearing 32, interposed between the main bearing 12 and the wire thickness adjusting nut 27, provides a bearing surface for the force exerted by spring 29. lIt is obvious, therefore, that the position of nut 27 determines the depth to which the projections or peaks 22 protrude into the receding face portions 19 and the pressure exerted by these peaks is governed by the position of nut 2S. Since bearing 3l floats on shaft 9 it is further obvious that the shaft may move outwardly laway from wire 7 against the force of spring 29 to accommodate the system for variations in wire diameter without damage thereto.

Referring now to FIG. 4 Ithere is illustrated a Wire pulling system utilizing the wire puling wheel or pulley 5 il-lustrated in FIGS. l, 2 and 3. Pulley 5 is driven by a motor 33 through a variable speed transmission 34 in any well known manner in the art.

Idler wheel 36 is provided to guide wire 7 into the serpentine groove within pulley 5 and rollers 37 and 38 are provided to insure that wire '7 is maintained in the bottom of the groove within pulley 5 and to aid in removing the wire after the projections or peaks have relaxed the pressure thereon. Roller 37 is driven at a slightly greater speed than that of pulley 5 by any suitable means, such, -for example, as a belt drive between the pulley 5 and the roller 37. yIdler roller 38 exerts a downward pressure to insure a light gripping action by the rollers on wire 7. Due -to the slightly greater speed of roller 37, wire 7 is pulled into the bottom of groove 13 thereby insuring pressure by the projections 22. Rollers 37 and 38 further act as a guide to insure that the wire leaves the pulley wheel after the pressure plate relaxes its pressure.

There -llas been illustrated and described a new and unique wire pulling wheel capable lof exerting high pulling tensions on a wire at relatively high speeds without damage to the outer surface or the covering thereof. The pulling wheel disclosed herein is particularly adapted to the handling of wires having a very smooth surface and therefore a low coefficient of friction, There has also 'been illustrated a system particularly adapted for use `with the disclosed pulley which insures the greatest yetiiciency thereof by providing a means which insures that the wire is maintained within the bottom of the groove in the pulling wheel.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood, that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

face .portions for pressing material to be pulled into saidk receding face portions.

2. A device of claim l wherein said means undulates from side to side as said pulley rotates for increasing and decreasing the pressure on the material to be pulled.

3. A pulling device comp-rising, a pulley having an annular peripheral groove therein, said groove being bounded by a pair of opposite annular lateral faces, one of said faces having alternately arranged projecting and receding face portions, the other of said faces having a plurality of apertures therein, one aperture disposed opposite each of said receding face portions, said groove being further boutided by an annular bottom face, means within each of the apertures in the other of said faces, said means projecting into said receding face portions for pressing an elongated means to be pulled into said receding face portions.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said means undulates into and out of said receding face portions as said pulley rotates for increasing an-d decreasing the pressure on said elongated means.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said means is a plurality of projections circumferentially spaced on a pres-l sure plate.

6. A wire pulling device comprising a pulley having a groove therein bounded by a pair of annular lateral faces, one of said faces having alternate projecting and receding face pon-tions, the other of said faces having an aperture therein disposed opposite each of said receding face portions, a pressure plate, a plurality of projections on said pressure plate, means supporting said pressure plate in such a manner that each of said projections ex= tend through a respective one of the apertures in the other of said faces and into said receding face portion.

7. A pull-ing device comprising, a pulley having va first and second surface, said rst and second surface being arranged in opposite annular lateral relationship to form a groove, said first surface having annularly arranged axially projecting and receding face portions, said second surface having an aperture opposite each of said receding face portions, la pressure plate, a plurality of projections on said pressure plate, each of said projections extending through a respective aperture in said second surface and into respective ones of said receding face portions whereby rnaterial to be pulled by said device is pressed into the receding face portions. k

8. The pulling device `of claim 7 wherein said plurality of projections on said pressure plates undulate from side to side as said pulley rotates to increase and decrease the extent that said projections extend into said receding face portions.

9. A pulling device comprising, a pulley having a groove therein bounded by a pair of oppositely disposed annular lateral faces, one of said faces having alternately arranged projecting and receding face portions, said pulley having a plurality of apertures therein respectively ldisposed in the other of said faces opposite each of said receding face portions, ya pressure plate, a plurality of projections on said pressure plate, means supporting said pressure plate adjacent said pulley in such a manner that respective ones of said projections extend through the apertures in the other of said faces and into said receding face portion.

l0. The pulling device of claim 9 wherein said means supports said pressure plate at an angle to said pulley 5 whereby said projections undulate into and out of said receding face portions.

11. The pulling device of claim 10 wherein said means further comprises means for yadjusting the limits of undulation of said projections.

12. The pulling device of claim 11 wherein said means supporting said pressure plate further comprises means for adjusting the pressure exerted by said projections on any material pulled by said pulley.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Munin Nov. 17, 1959 Keith Aug. 23, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Dec. 6, 1954 

1. A PULLING DEVICE COMPRISING A PULLEY HAVING A GROOVE THEREIN BOUNDED BY A PAIR OF OPPOSITE ANNULAR LATERAL FACES, ONE OF SAID FACES HAVING ALTERNATELY ARRANGED PROJECTING AND RECEDING FACE PORTIONS, THE OTHER OF SAID FACES HAVING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES THEREIN EACH RESPECTIVELY DISPOSED OPPOSITE EACH OF SAID RECEDING FACE 